Is this Cosmoline or Just Grease (PSL)

[Flux Capacitor]

I noticed some minor rust on the back end of the bolt and started to clean it when I noticed more surface rust. After cleaning it off I decided to clean the magazines as well. I disassembled the mags and they are full of some type of red looking grease. Does this need to be cleaned off?

Also are PSL's brand new or just rebuilt? The pitting is very minor but its still pitting.








Heres the pitting

[jandmtv]

clean it off, that doesnt need to be there. i would use some mineral spirits to clean it off, otherwise known as paint thinner.

[redrover]

If your stuff is made in Romania or any part of Eastern Europe, then it's cosmoline. Get one of those cheap turkey aluminum baking pans, fill it with paint thinner and dip your parts in it until the stuff comes off.

When it dries, coat it with CLP and leave slightly wet.

[Flux Capacitor]

I got it cleaned off. I don't think the rust was actually rust. I assumed it was rust because it was reddish, but so was the grease they used in the magazine. It looks like the "rust" may actually be some of that grease they used. I keep rubbing the part with CLP and more red comes off.

[NeoWeird]

That doesn't look like normal cosmoline to me. Not saying it isn't, but the good cosmoline I have seen is more like Vaseline in texture and viscosity, but is thick and colored like bearing grease. Now that may be well used, maybe even sand encrusted, cosmoline but it sure doesn't look normal to me.

Chances are it's a protective of some kind and those pitting marks just look like splatter/smudges that have dried out and crusted over. Go to Walmart or the likes and get some mineral spirits, they have something like a half gallon for $2 or something silly, and use it on everything. It shouldn't harm the wood and won't harm the metal. After it's all clean, then clean the wood out by an of the numerous methods. You still might get some to come out on hot days or after firing for a while, but it will stop after a while.

[virulosity]

I don't know if this is related but I bought some magazines of gunbroker and when I stripped them down they were full of mud. Keep in mind they looked like new on the outside but litterally had dirt and small pieces of hay or straw mixed in heavy grease. Maybe this is some romanian form of homemade cosmo.

[Army]

It's the Soviet version of Cosmo. Clean with thinner or diesel, and dry thoroughly.

[berg]

To answer your other question, Tennessee Guns says their PSL's are made from kits that are from issued rifles that were decommissioned.

[Pulsar]

Every PSL mag I've purchased, either through mail order or at gun shows has that stuff on the inside. I just disassemble em and let em sit in the solvent tank overnight and do any scrubbing that's necassary.